title: Prognostic significance of HIF-1α expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pilot studies have evaluated the correlation between hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) overexpression and clinical outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the results remain inconclusive. To comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the evidence on the suitability of HIF-1α to predict the prognosis of patients with HCC, a meta-analysis was carried out.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic literature searches were applied to PubMed, Elsevier and Web of Science databases until Feb. 2013. Seven studies (953 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled measure was calculated from the available data to evaluate the association between tissue -based HIF-1α level and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in HCC patients. The relation between HIF-1α expression and vascular invasion was also assessed. Data were synthesized with fixed or random effect model, hazard ration (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as the effect size estimate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The combined data suggested that HIF-1α overexpression in HCC correlated with poor OS [HR = 1.65 (95% (CI): 1.38, 1.97)] and DFS [HR = 2.14 (95% CI: 1.39, 3.29)]. And high HIF-1α expression tended to be associated with vascular invasion [OR = 2.21 (95% CI: 1.06, 4.57)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIF-1α overexpression indicates a poor prognosis for patients with HCC, it may also have predictive potential for HCC invasion and metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Su-Su
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Bo-Heng
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit